Widely used quantum optimization algorithms such as quantum annealing and quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) for quadratically unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problems cannot systematically and efficiently handle constraints and mixed discrete and continuous decision variables. To address this, we present a novel hybrid classicalquantum approach which combines classical alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) with QAOA. Compared to conventional penalty-based method, this approach avoids quantization of continuous variables, eliminates the need for additional qubits to capture constraints on a quantum device and leads to reduced QAOA circuit depth suitable for near term implementation. We illustrate the efficacy of our approach on several constrained mixed integer optimization problems.
Widely used quantum optimization algorithms such as quantum annealing and quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) for quadratically unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problems cannot systematically and efficiently handle constraints and mixed discrete and continuous decision variables. To address this, we present a novel hybrid classicalquantum approach which combines classical alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) with QAOA. Compared to conventional penalty-based method, this approach avoids quantization of continuous variables, eliminates the need for additional qubits to capture constraints on a quantum device and leads to reduced QAOA circuit depth suitable for near term implementation. We illustrate the efficacy of our approach on several constrained mixed integer optimization problems.
Solving combinatorial optimization problems on current noisy quantum devices is currently being advocated for (and restricted to) binary polynomial optimization with equality constraints via quantum heuristic approaches. This is achieved using, for example, the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) and the quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA). In this article, we present a decomposition-based approach to extend the applicability of current approaches to “quadratic plus convex” mixed binary optimization (MBO) problems, so as to solve a broad class of real-world optimization problems. In the MBO framework, we show that the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) can split the MBO into a binary unconstrained problem (that can be solved with quantum algorithms), and continuous constrained convex subproblems (that can be solved cheaply with classical optimization solvers). The validity of the approach is then showcased by numerical results obtained on several optimization problems via simulations with VQE and QAOA on the quantum circuits implemented in Qiskit, an open-source quantum computing software development framework.
This paper reviews a hybrid quantum-classical distributed algorithm for NP-hard combinatorial optimization problems, which is embedded in IBM Qiskit's Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) optimizer. We demonstrate a proof of concept for solving Mixed-Integer Convex Programs (MICP) in power system applications using a use case on power distribution network reconfiguration in IBM quantum computers. Using the Qiskit ADMM optimizer, the MICP is decomposed into two subproblems: a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) solved by quantum algorithms and a convex one solved by classical solvers. Our essential contribution is integrating the Quantum Random Access Optimization (QRAO) into the quantum-classical distributed framework and the existing Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) implemented in the Qiskit ADMM Optimizer. QRAO utilizes Quantum Random Access Codes (QRACs) to minimize qubit requirements and utilizes quantum state rounding for solution extraction. We examine the impact of noise on solutions derived from QRAO and compare them with results from QAOA using a use case on network reconfiguration in response to faults in the power distribution system.
Quantum optimization provides a promising approach for solving large-scale combinatorial problems through quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) formulations. However, integrating QUBO-based solvers into structured optimization frameworks while preserving solution guarantees remains a fundamental challenge. This paper develops a hybrid quantum-classical column-and-constraint generation (QCCG) framework for solving two-stage adaptive robust optimization problems with binary first-stage decisions and linear recourse under polyhedral uncertainty. The proposed approach reformulates the restricted master problem as a QUBO and solves it approximately using a quantum optimizer, while retaining a classical adversarial subproblem to compute worst-case recourse and certify solution quality. We construct a constraint-preserving QUBO encoding for inequality-constrained master problems using slack variables and penalty terms, enabling general mixed-integer structures to be mapped to quantum-compatible representations. To address inexactness arising from discretization, penalty modeling, and quantum optimization, we introduce a bound-adjustment mechanism that yields valid lower and upper bounds and provides a certified stopping criterion. We show that the proposed framework generalizes classical column-and-constraint generation and retains its convergence properties when the master problem is solved exactly. Numerical experiments on two-stage robust location-transportation problems demonstrate that the proposed hybrid approach achieves solution quality comparable to classical methods while reducing the computational burden associated with solving mixed-integer master problems, highlighting the potential of hybrid quantum-classical optimization for scalable decision-making under uncertainty.
We extend the family of problems that may be implemented on an adiabatic quantum optimizer (AQO). When a quadratic optimization problem has at least one set of discrete controls and the constraints are linear, we call this a quadratic constrained mixed discrete optimization (QCMDO) problem. QCMDO problems are NP-hard, and no efficient classical algorithm for their solution is known. Included in the class of QCMDO problems are combinatorial optimization problems constrained by a linear partial differential equation (PDE) or system of linear PDEs. An essential complication commonly encountered in solving this type of problem is that the linear constraint may introduce many intermediate continuous variables into the optimization while the computational cost grows exponentially with problem size. We resolve this difficulty by developing a constructive mapping from QCMDO to quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) such that the size of the QUBO problem depends only on the number of discrete control variables. With a suitable embedding, taking into account the physical constraints of the realizable coupling graph, the resulting QUBO problem can be implemented on an existing AQO. The mapping itself is efficient, scaling cubically with the number of continuous variables in the general case and linearly in the PDE case if an efficient preconditioner is available.
This dissertation addresses fundamental challenges in solving constrained combinatorial optimization problems using hybrid quantum-classical computing approaches. Quantum computing shows promise for tackling computationally intractable problems, current approaches face significant limitations. The path forward in computing involves combining quantum and classical computing approaches. Quantum processing units (QPUs) will play a key role in accelerating algorithms in optimization, simulation, and machine learning applications beyond what classical computers can achieve on their own, similar to how graphical processing units (GPUs) have become integral to general-purpose computing. The current generation of quantum devices is limited by noise and circuit depth constraints, making it challenging to gain practical utility. Hybrid quantum-classical approaches, which combine quantum computing resources with classical computing resources, are essential for addressing these limitations on near-term devices. In the area of combinatorial optimization, current practical state-of-the-art hybrid approaches are variational in nature, relying on parameterized quantum circuits to encode solutions and classical optimization techniques to find optimal parameters. While the ultimate goal of solving computationally intractable problems is to find provably optimal solutions, practical constraints of real-world scenarios often necessitate focusing on efficiently obtaining high-quality, near-optimal solutions. The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is a hybrid quantum-classical approach for tackling these challenging problems that are encoded using quadratic and higher-order unconstrained binary optimization problems (QUBO and HUBO). QAOA alternates between two operators: a problem-specific cost Hamiltonian that encodes the optimization objective, and a mixer Hamiltonian that explores the solution space. The algorithm's parameters are iteratively optimized using classical methods to maximize the probability of sampling high-quality solutions. However, these methods often struggle with solution feasibility, especially for problems where the solutions must satisfy specific constraints. Penalty-based encodings require careful parameter tuning and risk producing infeasible solutions, while feasibility-preserving methods demand deeper quantum circuits that are challenging to implement on near-term quantum devices. In this dissertation, we present novel strategies that reduce or omit dependency on penalty parameters while maintaining solution quality, effectively capturing both optimal and near-optimal solutions, and balancing the trade-offs between circuit depth and solution feasibility. We present SCOOP, a novel QAOA-based framework for solving constrained optimization problems. SCOOP transforms a constrained problem into an unconstrained counterpart, forming SCOOP problem twins. QAOA operates on the unconstrained twin to identify potential optimal and near-optimal solutions. Effective classical post-processing reduces the solution set to the constrained problem space. Our SCOOP approach is solution-enhanced, objective-function-compatible, and scalable. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the SCOOP framework on selected NP-hard problems, some of which can be encoded quadratically (such as Minimum Vertex Cover and Maximum Independent Set), and some that can be encoded using higher-order terms (such as Minimum Dominating Set, Minimum Maximal Matching, and Minimum Set Cover). We also apply our framework to constrained combinatorial optimization problems that can be solved in polynomial time, such as Minimum Edge Cover and Maximum Matching. Experimental results on full statevector simulators and tensor network simulators show that SCOOP significantly improves the probability of finding high-quality feasible solutions across various problem classes, on problems that can be encoded quadratically as well as problems that can be encoded using higher-order terms. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of SCOOP on real quantum hardware, specifically IBM Quantum Heron R2 processors with 156 qubits, showing that SCOOP can be applied to practical problems with current quantum hardware limitations. This work makes significant contributions toward achieving quantum utility by enabling systematic investigation of constrained optimization problems on quantum devices. While current quantum computing research primarily focuses on unconstrained problems like MaxCut, real-world applications typically involve constraints. SCOOP provides a scalable framework for encoding constrained problems, extending quantum computing's practical utility beyond simple unconstrained cases. By eliminating dependency on penalty parameters and providing natural problem formulations, SCOOP makes it feasible to explore quantum solutions for constrained problems where classical exact methods become intractable. This capability is crucial for identifying promising avenues for demonstrating quantum utility across diverse constrained optimization problems, advancing the practical applicability of quantum computing approaches.
This paper proposes a quasi-binary encoding based algorithm for solving a specific quadratic optimization models with discrete variables, in the quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) framework. The quadratic optimization model has three constraints: 1. Discrete constraint, the variables are required to be integers. 2. Bound constraint, each variable is required to be greater than or equal to an integer and less than or equal to another integer. 3. Sum constraint, the sum of all variables should be a given integer. To solve this optimization model, we use quasi-binary encoding to encode the variables. For an integer variable with upper bound Ui and lower bound Li, this encoding method can use at most 2log2(Ui−Li+1) qubits to encode the variable. Moreover, we design a mixing operator specifically for this encoding to satisfy the hard constraint model. In the hard constraint model, the quantum state always satisfies the constraints during the evolution, and no penalty term is needed in the objective function. In other parts of the QAOA framework, we also incorporate ideas such as CVaR-QAOA and parameter scheduling methods into our QAOA algorithm. In the financial field, by introducing precision, portfolio optimization problems can be reduced to the above model. We will use portfolio optimization cases for numerical simulation. We design an iterative method to solve the problem of coarse precision caused by insufficient qubits of the simulators or quantum computers. This iterative method can refine the precision by multiple few-qubit experiments.